External MIDI Control

Toopy14

Well-Known Member
Trying to setup my iPad w/ Bandhelper to select presets in the LT. I'm using Setlist mode with 5 preset (scene) buttons.

Looking at the manual, I see that there are two ways I can do this;

Setlist active, Bank=Song On or Setlist active, Bank=Song Off

In my MIDI settings I have Bank=Song Off set. I don't recall setting it, so I assume that's the default setting?

So, for example, in my Setlist I have 3 presets/scenes for a song, S1, S2 and S3, which are Preset 7, 8 and 9 respectively, in the Setlist.

According to the manual, I need to use this formula;

(Bank MSB x 16,384) + ( Bank LSB x 128) + PC Number = Preset Number

Bank MSB = 0
Bank LSB = 0-4 (5 presets/scenes)

I'm a little confused about what number to use for the PC Number in the formula. Would that be 7, 8 and 9 or is that the PC number used to select the Preset in the Axe-Fx?
 
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I did some experimenting and using this mode; Setlist active, Bank=Song, appears to do exactly what I need. The LSB value is the song in the Setlist and the PC Number selects the preset/scene, within the song.
 
Hmmm...two steps forward and one back.

So now my dilemma is that I can't use the same command in BH to select scenes (presets) within a song because I have to specify the LSB which picks the song. So it works for the song I initially pick, but when I pick another song and try to change scenes, it reverts back to the original song.

I can select scenes in the Axe-Fx by setting MIDI Forward = On on the LT, then sending the hex code to the Axe-Fx, which changes the scene on the Axe-Fx. The problem is though, it doesn't reflect the change on the LT, which I thought it would, given bi-directional MIDI is On in the LT.

I just spent quite a few hours setting up 465 presets in the LT, using Setlist mode, I'm hoping I don't have to replicate all those presets in Bandhelper. :-(

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks
 
The LSB should always select the song, and the preset number should always select the preset within that song. Is it not doing that?
 
The LSB should always select the song, and the preset number should always select the preset within that song. Is it not doing that?

Yes, that part works correctly. What I was hoping for though, is to create commands in BH for each song, then use the same 6 commands to select a scene (preset), within the song, instead of creating 6 commands to select 1 of 6 scenes within a song.

For example, if I connect the iPad directly to the Axe-Fx, I can select a song with a PC, then within each song, use the same CC commands (1 of 6 in my case) to select a scene within the song.

I can do it by sending hex data to the Ae-Fx via the LT, but when the scene change is made on the Axe-Fx, it's not reflected on the LT. I thought it was because I had Ignore Incoming PC's = On, in the device setting for the Axe-Fx on the LT, but I turned it Off and it still doesn't update the LT.

I'm trying to set everything up through the LT, so I can use BH automation tracks on songs that have a lot of scene/pickup switching and use the LT only, on songs with minimal scene/pickup switching.
 
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If you turn on Poll State (Devices tab), changes in the Axe-Fx will be reflected in the LT.

I'll give that a try. May come in handy for some other stuff I want to do.

In the meantime, I decided to setup MIDI Presets in BH, that mirror the presets I have setup in the LT. I then set the setlist to All Songs, and setup a setlist in BH. Each song has BH presets, which send MIDI PC commands to the LT to call up the appropriate preset/scene in the LT, using the Bank/PC values. For any PC above 128, I just take the LT preset number and subtract 128 until the number <=128, then subtract 1 and each time I subtract 128, I increment the Bank LSB.

So for the example in the pic., LT Preset 225, which is scene 1 of a song, becomes 225 - 128 = 97, then subtract 1. So the BH Program Change command is Bank 1, PC 96. Works great.

I thought it was going to be time consuming doing it this way, but BH has a feature to allow you to copy one preset to another, which makes quick work of it. So in the end, using BH on my iPad, I will be able to completely automate scene changes, tied to a backing track, on the Axe-Fx via the LT connected through USB and the same BH MIDI presets, will control my AX8, via Bluetooth and the Yamaha MD-BT01. Gives me the option to use the LT in the traditional manner for songs with only a few scene changes.

upload_2019-12-2_16-22-20.png
 
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